Earthmoving blade and mounting assembly

ABSTRACT

An earthmoving blade and mounting assembly, includes at least one generally hollow section mounting arm which mounts the blade in use on an earthmoving machine, the arm including a generally sideways opening channel and a generally upright closure plate which closes the open mouth of the channel to provide the hollow, the cross section of the hollow increasing from a mounting position where the arm is mounted on the earthmoving machine to an outer end where the arm is secured to the blade.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to an earthmoving blade and mountingassembly which in use, is mounted on an earthmoving machine such as anexcavator.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] Such earthmoving blade assemblies typically include a blade,often called a “dozer” blade which extends transversely to the usualdirection of travel of the machine, to push earth or the like, to levelthe earth for example, and at least one, usually two, mounting armswhich is/are secured to the blade at their one ends, and at or towardstheir opposites end mount the blade on a superstructure of theearthmoving machine. Usually the arm or arms are raisable and lowerablerelative to the ground, by one or a pair of actuators which extendbetween the superstructure of the earthmoving machine and the assembly,to permit the blade to be moved to a stowed position above the groundwhen not required. The dozer blade is sometimes used during digging tosteady the earthmoving machine, or even to push/pull the machine overthe ground.

[0003] A typical such assembly includes a large number of parts andcomponents in order to give the assembly sufficient strength for itsintended purpose. Thus for example the mounting arms are typically bebox sections which are secured by welding to a rear part of the blade.The welds are strengthened with both transversely extending gussets orthe like which are welded at the connections of the arms to the rearpart of the blade to increase the effective lateral area of the weld,and typically upstanding gussets are provided, the increase theeffective vertical areas of the welds.

[0004] Furthermore, the blades themselves typically have a large numberof parts, including a rear part to which the arms are welded, which rearpart typically is a channel section, which opens forwardly of the blade,a front part which, in use, works the earth to be moved, and upper andlower intermediate parts which are welded to each of the front and rearparts to assist in connecting these together, as well as the usualgrader part at the bottom of the front part which typically is of athicker metal than the front part, as it is subject to greatest wear inuse.

[0005] In addition to these parts and components, where a pair of armsare provided, they are interconnected with an interconnecting member towhich the actuator or actuators may be connected, and mounting memberstypically are provided to receive pivots so that the earthmoving membercan be mounted on the earthmoving machine. Thus a significant number ofparts and components overall is required, making the earthmoving memberexpensive to make.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] According to a first aspect of the invention we provide anearthmoving blade and mounting assembly, the mounting assembly includingat least one generally hollow section mounting arm which mounts theblade in use on an earthmoving machine, the arm including a generallysideways opening channel and a generally upright closure plate whichcloses the open mouth of the channel to provide the hollow, the crosssection of the hollow increasing from a mounting position where the armis mounted on the earthmoving machine to an outer end where the arm issecured to the blade.

[0007] In such an assembly, a significant reduction in the number ofparts and components can be achieved, with a resultant saving in cost,without compromising the strength of the assembly.

[0008] The channel of the or each arm may be made as a pressing as asingle component, with the upright closure plate being of a thickermaterial and thus providing substantial strength to the arm. By suitablyshaping the closure plate to conform to the configuration of the bladewhere it is secured to the blade, the need for any upstanding gusset isalleviated as the vertical extent of the closure plate may be of adesired magnitude without such a gusset. Furthermore, and as the crosssection of the hollow of the arm increases towards a maximum where thearm is secured to the blade, a desired area of weld may be achieved thelateral extent of the arm where the arm is secured to the blade may beof sufficient magnitude that no transversely extending gusset isrequired.

[0009] Thus the cross section of the hollow may increase towards theblade, due to an increase in both the vertical and lateral dimensions ofthe channel and the closure plate.

[0010] In a preferred arrangement the vertical and lateral dimensions ofthe channel and the vertical dimension of the closure plate, increaseconstantly and generally linearly from the mounting position to theblade.

[0011] The uppermost channel limb may be laterally inclined to thehorizontal, as well as longitudinally due to the increasing verticaldimension of the hollow. Thus mud, water and the like will bediscouraged from settling on the upper surface of the uppermost channellimb.

[0012] At the mounting position of the mounting arm, there may beprovided an opening at least in the closure member, and a mountingmember may be secured to at least one of the channel and closure plateof the arm, the mounting member including an opening which is alignedwith any opening in the closure plate and/or channel to provide apassage which in use receives a pivot which mounts the assembly on themachine superstructure. Thus the mounting member may include a bearingsurface to support the pivot.

[0013] Preferably the assembly includes a pair of mounting arms,arranged alongside one another and each being secured at or adjacent arespective end of the blade. The closure plates may be innermost andthus facing one another, but desirably, the configurations of themounting arms are identical so that the arms are not handed, with onearm being inverted relative to the other arm. Alternatively, if the armsare handed, preferably as many as possible of the parts and componentsmaking up the arms, are not handed, so they may be used for either arm.In each case, a low overall different-parts count is achieved.

[0014] An interconnecting member may extend between and be secured tothe facing closure plates of the arms, which interconnecting member maybe for example of circular tubular cross section, and which may providea mounting for an actuator which in use moves the blade of the assemblyup and down relative to the machine superstructure.

[0015] The blade may include a rear part to which the or each arm issecured, and a front part which in use, works the earth to be moved. Therear part may be a laterally extending forwardly opening channel, andthe front part may, at least along an upper edge thereof, include arearwardly extending lip which overlaps and is welded to an outsidesurface of the upper channel limb of the rear part. A lower channel limbof the rear part may be welded to a lower edge of the front part, wherea grader part which extends laterally along the blade between its ends,may also be provided.

[0016] Thus in such a construction, by suitably fabricating the rearpart channel, the provision of upper and/or lower intermediate bladeparts may be avoided thereby reducing the number of parts and componentsof the assembly.

[0017] According to a second aspect of the invention we provide anearthmoving machine having mounted thereon, an earthmoving bladeassembly in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Embodiments of the invention will now be described with referenceto the accompanying drawings in which

[0019]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an earthmoving bladeassembly in accordance with the invention, showing the individual partsand components of the assembly;

[0020]FIG. 2 is a side view of the assembly of FIG. 1, assembled;

[0021]FIG. 3 is a plan view of the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2 in anassembled conditioned, showing in phantom, part of an earth movingmachine on which the assembly is mounted.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Referring to the drawings there is shown an assembly 10 whichincludes arm earthmoving blade 1, also called a dozer blade, and a pairof mounting arms 12, 14 which mount the assembly 10 on an earthmovingmachine M, such as for example only, a so called mini-excavating machinewhich includes a ground engaging structure carrying wheels or tracks bywhich the machine may move over the ground, and an excavating arm withan excavating tool such as a bucket. Such machines are often required toperform earthmoving operations such as levelling or grading, and forthis purpose are provided with earthmoving assemblies such as shown inthe drawings at 10.

[0023] The mounting arms 12, 14 at one end, are secured to the blade 11by welding typically, and at their opposite ends, provide mountingpositions 15, 16 as hereinafter explained, to mount the assembly 10 to asuperstructure of the earthmoving machine, so as to permit the assembly10 to be raised clear of the g round, or placed on the ground, by theoperation of one or move actuators, such as a hydraulic actuator whichextends between the assembly 10 and the machine superstructure.

[0024] In accordance with the invention, each arm 12, 14 is fabricatedfrom a sideways opening channel 20 which includes a generally uprightorientated base 21, an upper sideways extending channel limb 24, and alower generally sideways opening channel limb 25.

[0025] The channels 20 are conveniently fabricated in steel aspressings, but could otherwise be fabricated as desired, and in othermaterials.

[0026] The mouth of each channel 20 is closed by a respective closureplate 28 which is made of a thicker gauge material than the channel 20pressings in this example, the plates extending generally verticallyupright beyond the mouths of the channels 20. The channels 20 andclosure plates 28 therefore provide hollow sections, the hollows ofwhich extend throughout the length of each arm 12, 14.

[0027] In accordance with the invention, the cross section of hollow ofeach arm 12, 14 increases from a minimum at or adjacent the respectivemounting position 15, 16 to where the arm 12, 14 is secured to the blade11. Thus the width of the base 21 of the channel 20, and the depths ofthe upper and lower channel limbs 24, 25, and the width of the closureplate 28 all generally constantly and linearly increase from therespective mounting positions 15, 16 to the blade 11. Thus whereas thearms 12, 14 are each box sections, the areas of securement of the arms12, 14 i.e. the areas available for welding, are at a maximum wheremaximum strength is required, at the outer blade 11 end of the arms 12,14.

[0028] The blade 11 includes a laterally extending rear part 30 which isa forwardly opening channel, with the width of the channel increasingfrom adjacent a base 31 of the channel 30 towards a front part 33 of theblade 11. The hollows of the arm 12, 14 are preferably as wide as thebase 31 of the blade 11, and the closure plates 28 are preferably shapedwhere they are secured to overlap the limbs of the rear part 20 channel.In this way, there is no need to provide any vertical and/or lateralgussets to strengthen the weld between blade 11 and mounting arms 12, 14as in prior arrangements which utilise box section arms, the crosssections of which are generally constant along their entire lengths.

[0029] At the mounting positions 15, 16, it can be seen that the closureplates 28 extend rearwardly beyond the channels 20, and have openings35. Mounting members 36 are provided at the mounting positions 15, 16,and the mounting members 36 include openings 37 which are aligned withthe respective openings in the closure plates 28 to provide passages forone or a pair of pivot pins P by which the assembly 10 is mounted on themachine superstructure. To strengthen the welds between the arms 12, 14and the mounting members 36, the channels 20 are provided with grooves19 in their respective bases 21, which grooves 19 extend along the arms12, 14 and the mounting members 36 include sides extensions 22 whichoverlap the grooves 19 and thus a maximised area for welds is providedfurther to strengthen the mounting positions 15, 16 at the rearward endsof the arms 12, 14.

[0030] The arms 12, 14 are thus arranged alongside one another with aspace between, with the closure plates 28 in this example on the insidesso as to face one another. Nevertheless, desirably, the arms 12, 14 areof an identical configuration and not handed, with one of the arms 12,14 being inverted compared to the other. Alternatively, even if the arms12, 14 are handed, preferably as many as possible of the parts andcomponents of the arms 12, 14 are not handed, so that the total numberof different components is maintained at a minimum. Moreover themounting members 36 which desirably are welded to the respective arms12, 14, are preferably non-handed, again to maintain the different-partscount low.

[0031] Between the mounting arms 12, 14 is an interconnecting member 40which in this example is of round tubular cross section but could be ofanother configuration in another example. The interconnecting member 40is welded or otherwise secured to the arms 12, 14 and not only providesadded strength and rigidity to the assembly 10, but also provides amounting 42 for one end of the actuator which extends between theassembly 10 and the machine superstructure, for raising and lowering theblade 11. Because the interconnecting member 40 is welded to the thickclosure plates 28, a strong weld can be achieved without requiring anygussets/gussets or the like which conventionally are required where theinterconnecting member 40 is welded to thinner box sections, and thusagain the construction of the invention which utilises the arms 12, 14with non-constant cross section hollows and substantial closure plates28, reduces the number of components required to fabricate the assembly10 compared with known assemblies. It can be seen that the blade 11construction includes only the front 33 and rear 30 parts, a pair ofside closures 43, 44, and a grader part 46 along a lower edge 52 of theblade 11. This is achieved by shaping the rear channel part 30 asdescribed above, and by shaping the front part 33 with a rearwardlyextending lip 48 along an upper edge thereof, which overlaps a rearsurface 49 of the upper channel limb 50. Thus there is no need for anyintermediate part as is provided in conventional arrangements to enablethe front 33 and rear 30 blade 11 parts to be welded together.

[0032] At a lower edge 52 of the front part 33, the front part 33overlaps the inside surface of a lower channel limb 51 of the rear part30 of the blade 11 and is welded thereto, with the grader part 46 weldedalong the lower edge 52 on a forwardly facing surface of the front part33. Thus there is no need for any intermediate part at this position asis conventionally provided, to achieve the necessary strength.

[0033] The side closures 43, 44 are again preferably not handedcomponents, and are welded in position to close the ends of a hollowcreated between the front 33 and rear 30 blade parts to prevent theingress of earth etc. into the hollow and to provide points by which themachine may be lifted, or tied down, e.g. during transport on a lorry.

[0034] It will be appreciated from the above description that ifdesired, the earthmoving blade and mounting assembly, 10 may be madefrom sub assemblies, such as for example,

[0035] i. the blade 11 which sub assembly may include the front 33 andrear 30 parts, the grader part 46 and the side closures 43, 44;

[0036] ii. the arms 12, 14 including the channels 20, closure plates 28and mounting members 36;

[0037] iii. the interconnecting member 40 and actuator mounting 42, thusconsiderably facilitating and reducing the cost of manufacture comparedwith known proposals.

[0038] It can be seen in the drawings, that the channel limbs 24, 25 ofthe arm channels 20 are not perpendicular to the channel base 21. Thusupper surfaces provided by the upper channel limbs 24 are laterallyinclined to the horizontal as well as longitudinally inclined, and as aresult, water or mud or dirt tends not to settle on the upper arm 12, 14surfaces. Thus, the weight of the assembly 10 is less liable to beaugmented by clinging dirt and there is reduced likelihood of corrosion.

[0039] Also the rear part 33 of the blade 11 has an inclined upper partof the rear surface 49 to disgorge water and mud etc. settling thereon.

[0040] Various modifications may be made without departing from thescope of the invention.

[0041] For example, the blade 11 may be of an alternative configurationto that described, and may not include a grader part 46. The arms 12, 14may be of alternative dimensions and configurations to those described.In particular the closure plates 28 may be shaped alternatively at theirouter ends where they are secured to the blade 11, depending on theblade configuration, and particular the configuration of the rear part30 of the blade 11.

[0042] The interconnecting member 40 could be of a rectangular or otherbox section cross sectional configuration and may for example providemountings for a pair of actuators. Alternatively the actuator(s) may bemounted to the arms 12, 14.

[0043] In another embodiment, a single mounting arm 12, 14 constructionmay be provided in which case no interconnecting member 40 would berequired.

[0044] Instead of fabricating/casting/forging or otherwise providing themounting members 36 at the rearmost ends of the arms 12, 14, a bearingsurface for a pivot pin or other mounting to the machine superstructure,may otherwise be provided.

[0045] Although in the example described, the blade 11 is secured to themounting arm or arms 12, 14 by welding, one or other of these could bemade in some suitable alternative material, such as a reinforcedcomposite material for example only in which case these may not besecured by welding but by another securing method.

1. An earthmoving blade and mounting assembly, the mounting assemblyincluding at least one generally hollow section mounting arm whichmounts the blade in use on an earthmoving machine, the arm including agenerally sideways opening channel and a generally upright closure platewhich closes the open mouth of the channel to provide the hollow, thecross section of the hollow increasing from a mounting position wherethe arm is mounted on the earthmoving machine to an outer end where thearm is secured to the blade.
 2. An assembly according to claim 1 whereinthe channel of the or each arm is made as a pressing as a singlecomponent, with the upright closure plate being of a thicker material.3. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the closure plate is shapedto conform to the configuration of the blade where the arm is secured tothe blade.
 4. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the cross sectionof the hollow increases towards the blade, due to an increase in boththe vertical and lateral dimensions of the channel and the closureplate.
 5. An assembly according to claim 4 wherein the vertical andlateral dimensions of the channel and the vertical dimension of theclosure plate, increase constantly and generally linearly from themounting position to the blade.
 6. An assembly according to claim 1wherein an uppermost channel limb is laterally inclined to thehorizontal.
 7. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein at the mountingposition of the mounting arm, there is provided an opening at least inthe closure member, there being a mounting member secured to at leastone of the channel and closure plate of the arm, the mounting memberincluding an opening which is aligned with the opening in the closureplate to provide a passage.
 8. An assembly according to claim 1 whereinthe assembly includes a pair of mounting arms, arranged alongside oneanother and each being secured at or adjacent a respective end of theblade.
 9. An assembly according to claim 8 wherein the closure platesare innermost and facing one another.
 10. An assembly according to claim9 wherein the configurations of the mounting arms are identical with onearm being inverted relative to the other arm, so that the arms are nothanded.
 11. An assembly according to claim 8 wherein an interconnectingmember extends between and is secured to the facing closure plates ofthe arms.
 12. An assembly according to claim 11 wherein theinterconnecting member is of circular tubular cross section and whichprovides a mounting for an actuator which in use moves the blade of theassembly up and down relative to the machine superstructure.
 13. Anassembly according to claim 1 wherein the blade includes a rear part towhich the or each arm is secured, and a front part which in use, worksthe earth to be moved.
 14. An assembly according to claim 13 wherein therear part is a laterally extending forwardly opening channel, and thefront part, at least along an upper edge thereof, includes a rearwardlyextending lip which overlaps and is welded to an outside surface of theupper channel limb of the rear part.
 15. An assembly according to claim14 wherein a lower channel limb of the rear part is welded to a loweredge of the front part, where a grader part which extends laterallyalong the blade between its ends is also be provided.
 16. An earthmovingmachine having an earthmoving blade mounted thereon by a mountingassembly including at least one generally hollow section mounting arm,the arm including a generally sideways opening channel and a generallyupright closure plate which closes the open mouth of the channel toprovide the hollow, the cross section of the hollow increasing from amounting position where the arm is mounted on the earthmoving machine toan outer end where the arm is secured to the blade.